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Last Updated on March 11, 2024

When I became a mother, I pictured long days of rocking my sweet babies and imparting all my knowledge to them as they grew.

I know some of you are already snickering. It’s amazing how quickly I go from that sweet, nurturing mother to a snorting Godzilla monster. Several years ago I’d spent a long day at my sister’s and returned home with the girls late. Since my husband was still at work, I intended to fix dinner then go to bed just after the girls did. Yeah, right. I gave my oldest a carton of yogurt and ran off to change the baby’s diaper. When I came back, my toddler grinned at me. “I do art, Mommy.” Yup, the dog and dining room table were “painted” in yogurt.

I held it together. Just a few more minutes … Wrong! The baby was screaming, the dog was spinning in circles to lick off the yogurt, and my toddler crawled on top of the table. I watched in slow motion as a glass of water rolled, spilled then smashed onto the tile floor. Enter Godzilla Mommy. I screamed, taught my children a new vocabulary word (not a nice one), burst into tears, and stomped toward the vacuum. My reaction caused my children to cry and the dog to bark. Overall, not my most stellar moment in motherhood. Oh, and I dropped the glass shards three separate times on the way to the trash.

I later called a friend and told her the sordid story. She chuckled. “I taught my children that same word last week when my youngest pulled a glass cake platter off the kitchen counter just before a new client arrived to sample the cake.”

I thanked God for my friend and her willingness to share her shortcomings. I’m not perfect, but I’m not alone. So that made me think. Perhaps Godzilla wasn’t trying to destroy all those buildings. Maybe Godzilla was just a misunderstood parent who’d stepped on one too many toys.

Jennifer Dyer has an M.S. in Communications Disorders, which served her well in her professional career as a speech-language pathologist. Never did she imagine that her education and career were God’s way of preparing her to be a mom to her own daughter with autism. Today, she enjoys reaching out to other families who face similar diagnoses. As a cancer survivor, carpet-cleaning veteran, and originator of the “Messy House Ministry,” Jennifer feels blessed to share joy, peace, and humor with others facing life’s challenges. She is mom to two beautiful daughters and is thankful to be raising them, serving other families with unique needs, and using her gift of writing and speaking to minister to others. Jennifer is also the author of a youth fiction book series and is trusting God with His timing on publication. Jennifer has been a mom for 11 years. She and Brandon have been married for 13 years.

@JenniferDyer| Facebook

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14 Comments

  1. Great post Jenn, once again I learn I'm not the only one! As I recall Godzilla was always running into other angry monsters as well, other frustrated Mom monsters maybe?! What a blessing that those who come to this site receive encouragement from those enjoying, learning from and growing as a result of being Moms and we can learn from each other through the good, the bad and the ugly – "consider it all joy" sister friends! Many blessings, Tracey 🙂

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  2. We've all got Godzilla moments to share… sometimes I think I have wayyyyy toooo manyyyyy!!! I just keep trying to learn though and always apologize to my children when I mess up. They are so quick to forgive me. I'm a lucky mom!
    God bless,
    Sallie

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  3. “Perhaps Godzilla wasn’t trying to destroy all those buildings. Maybe Godzilla was just a misunderstood parent who’d stepped on one too many toys.”

    Hilarious!!!!!

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  4. You have such a gift to tell it like it is. Everyone has been there. Remember the time your sister and you thought your mother had turned into an alien. Give yourself grace at these times. Also remember the good times.

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    1. Lol. Thanks, Bonnie. I like to keep her under wraps, but my inner Godzilla can get out of her cage sometimes as easily as my Labrador used to be able to unlock her kennel door. 🙂 I’m so thankful for God’s grace even when I forget to show it to myself.

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  6. Thank you so much Jenn for your honesty. It is parents like you, who blow it and then move on and do better that help me to keep going.

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    1. Kristen,
      Thanks for your comment! It’s so easy to look around and think others have it so together, isn’t it? But I’ve begun to realize everyone else is just as human as I am. I think the most powerful parenting moments I’ve had are in the aftermath of a mistake when I apologize and admit I was wrong. I still remember a time my dad did that. It changed my whole life because I realized adults didn’t have it all together and that part of being a grown up was owning up to mistakes and rectifying them. Furthermore, my dad apologizing and us then laughing about our mistakes later taught me about grace. God doesn’t hold on to anger the way I do. He is full of forgiveness.
      Thanks for the grace in your comment. 🙂

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